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got enough points?

A friend of mine recently told a silly story about a man standing at
the gates of heaven waiting to be admitted. To the man’s utter shock,
Peter said, “You have to have earned a thousands points to be admitted
to heaven. What have you done to earn your points?”

“I’ve never heard that before, but I think I’ll do alright. I was
raised in a Christian home and have always been a part of the church. I
have Sunday school attendance pins that go down the floor. I went to a
Christian college and graduate school and have probably led hundreds of
people to Christ. I’m now an elder in my church and am quite supportive
of what the people of God do. I have three children, two boys and a
girl. My oldest boy is a pastor and the younger is a staff person with a
ministry to the poor. My daughter and her husband are missionaries. I
have always tithed and am now giving well over 30% of my income to God’s
work. I’m a bank executive and work with the poor in our city trying to
get low income mortgages.”

“How am I doing so far”, he asked Peter.

“That’s one point,” Peter said. “What else have you done?”

“Good Lord…have mercy!” the man said in frustration.

“That’s it!” Peter said. “Welcome home.”

My friend who used this silly illustration ended it by saying, “Teach
the law. The Psalmist called it perfect. Teach it until people
recognize their inability to keep it and cry out for mercy. Mercy always
comes running.”